9 of 10 pregnant women lack exercise, run risk

Chennai: For many women, pregnancy is the perfect time to sit back and relax. And many are happy about adding a few extra kilos so the baby will be 'healthy'. So, doctors were not surprised when they found only one in 10 pregnant women exercised adequately, without realising that just sitting around can increase health risks fourfold. However, brisk walking reduced risks of adverse impact on the infant's health by up to 70%.

A study on physical activity patterns and gestational diabetes by a team of doctors from city-based Dr Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre and Seethapathy Clinic and Hospital along with scientists at the International Diabetes Federation, Belgium and Purdue University, US has concluded that a low-cost, culturally appropriate model of care can make significant improvement in physical activity in women with gestational diabetes resulting in better control of sugar levels and reduction in adverse neonatal outcomes.

Nearly 800 pregnant women were part of the study, 'WINGS' (women in India with gestational diabetes strategy), that looked at effects of exercise intervention on change in physical activity patterns, blood glucose levels and pregnancy outcomes. It found 10.7% of pregnant women did the recommended level of physical activity.

The recommended level of physical activity for pregnant women, like every adult, is at least 30 minutes of brisk walk every day in the first two trimesters and as much as one can in the last trimester. Those with gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) - 189 women - lead a more sedentary life compared normal women.

In 2014, a national study by Dr Anjana and her team found less than 10% of Indians did any kind of physical activity and 54.4% of the population was physically inactive. The study showed that one in two Indians was inactive.

In an attempt to increase physical activity in women with gestational diabetes, the doctor encouraged them to use a pedometer, an instrument that counts steps. After intervention, moderate activity increased from 15.2% to 26.5% and sedentary lifestyle decreased from 84.8% to 73.5%.

This lead to decrease in daily sugar levels, but no major changes in HbA1C. Overall, 19.3% of women had adverse outcomes - 13.3% children with higher birth weight, 3.2% admissions to neonatal ICUs and 1.3 % with low blood sugar. Deeper analysis, however, showed a 70% decrease risk for adverse neonatal outcomes even after adjusting for confounding variables.